GIZ African Union’s Post

In today's digital age, access to health information plays a crucial role in empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being. As part of our ongoing efforts to understand digital health literacy among youth in Africa, we conducted a survey to explore the level of digital health literacy amongst youth in Africa. Through this survey, we aim to gain insights into the preferences and priorities of African youth regarding digital health. We collected responses from a diverse sample of young people aged between 18 to 30 from various countries in Africa. The survey included questions about the types of health information sought by participants, focusing on five key categories: Symptoms and Diagnosis: 33.33% Exercise: 29.4% Medication and Information: 17.65% Treatment Options: 5.85% Nutrition and Information: 1.97% Others: 11.76% Symptoms and Diagnosis (33.33%): This category represents the largest proportion of health information sought by young people in Africa. It indicates a significant interest among youth in understanding symptoms, identifying potential health issues, and seeking diagnoses for their concerns. This highlights the importance of accessible and reliable information on recognizing and addressing health conditions among African youth. Understanding the distribution of health information sought by youth can inform the development of targeted interventions, educational resources, and digital health initiatives aimed at promoting health literacy and empowering African youth to make informed decisions about their health and well-being. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of digital healthcare, it is essential to prioritize efforts to enhance access to reliable health information and promote healthy behaviors among the youth population across Africa. #youthIndigitalhealth #digitalhealthliteracy #wellness #youthwellness Africa CDC Chrys Promesse KANIKI (MD, PhDc) Nelly Ale, BScN, MPH Enow A. G Stevens, MD, MPH The Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA)

INVOLVING YOUTH IN PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES :THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL 📍Youth are often left out of critical policy discussions, especially in public health, but what if I told you that the future of healthcare depends on them? 📍By excluding younger generations, we miss a powerful opportunity to create innovative, sustainable solutions to global health challenges. 🤔Here’s why involving youth in public health strategies is not just necessary—it’s transformational: ✅ Fresh Perspectives for Long-Standing Issues Young people bring creativity and a fresh approach to solving problems. 📍For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, youth-led initiatives like the Yale Young Global Scholars’ #YouthLead Response mobilized young leaders globally to tackle health misinformation through social media campaigns. 📍Their digital fluency and ability to engage online communities rapidly filled information gaps left by traditional channels. ✅Bridging the Digital Divide Youth today are more connected than ever before. 📍 In sub-Saharan Africa, young innovators developed health apps and chatbots to provide essential health information to underserved populations. 📍South Africa’s Youth Health Africa (YHA) initiative recruits young volunteers to work in mobile health units, ensuring access to vital health services in remote areas. ✅Empowering Future Public Health Leaders Youth involvement today builds the health leaders of tomorrow. 📍For instance, the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety works alongside WHO to involve young people in creating road safety strategies. 📍Their efforts have contributed to significant policy changes and safer roads across Latin America. ✅ Building Trust and Inclusivity Youth can be powerful advocates for health in their communities. 📍In Nigeria, young volunteers led by UNICEF have played critical roles in dispelling myths and educating local communities during vaccination campaigns for diseases like polio. 📍 Their involvement has helped build trust where traditional health campaigns struggled. 🟩Why We Must Act 📍Leaving youth out of these conversations means missing out on innovation, adaptability, and the energy needed to drive long-lasting change. 📍Involving them ensures that health solutions are dynamic and forward-thinking, aligning with the challenges of today and tomorrow. 📍It’s time to give young people a seat at the table. They aren’t just the beneficiaries of public health—they are the architects of its future. -------------------- P.S THE BEST RESEARCH QUEEN 👑 💜 💜 #PublicHealth #YouthEmpowerment #HealthLeadership #GlobalHealth #SDGs #HealthcareInnovation #YouthInvolvement #FutureOfHealth #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

Great news for francophone #Africa! We are proud to announce the translation of three critical World Health Organization (#WHO) documents on #neonatalcare into French: 1. WHO recommendation for care of the preterm or low-birth-weight infant 👉 https://lnkd.in/dcdT-ene  2. Kangaroo Mother Care: a transformative innovation in healthcare. Global position paper 👉 https://lnkd.in/dG9SAA_P  3. Kangaroo Mother Care. Implementation strategy for scale-up adaptable to different country contexts 👉 https://lnkd.in/dkr8wiU3 These resources, now available on the WHO website, are vital for empowering #healthcare workers in French-speaking Africa and improving the care and survival rates of #premature and low-birth-weight infants. This initiative directly contributes to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (#SDG): ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. Looking ahead, the #ChiesiFoundation remains dedicated to breaking down #languagebarriers and fostering collaboration in francophone sub-Saharan Africa. Through targeted work and strong partnerships, we can create a future where all children in French-speaking Africa can #thriveandsurvive. #HealthForAll #HealthEquity #KangarooMotherCare #KMC #SustainableDevelopmentGoals

In Côte d’Ivoire, community health workers (CHWs) play an essential role in providing primary healthcare services, educating and mobilizing communities to practice healthy behaviors, and collecting community-level data—especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Investing in scaling up CHW programming is key to advancing universal health coverage in Côte d’Ivoire. Our PROPEL Health team in Côte d’Ivoire, in partnership with the Directorate of Community Health & Health Promotion, conducted a situational analysis to provide the Government of Côte d’Ivoire with information that will allow for greater domestic ownership over CHW management and financing. The analysis reveals significant financing gaps and other challenges facing Côte d’Ivoire’s community health system and provides evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the government’s support to CHWs. Key recommendations include: ✳ Increase CHW payment to the national minimum wage, and pay CHWs with domestic resources ✳ Adopt a legal status for CHWs ✳ Improve the geographical distribution of CHWs based on demographic and epidemiological data, including data on the impacts of climate change ✳ Improve the coordination of community activities To learn more about the importance of investing in CHWs, read the report in full: https://lnkd.in/egEFYQGi

📍 2 years after the 6th EU-AU summit, where do we stand? Global Health Advocates brief series examines the #TeamEurope approach in the EU-AU health partnership and identifies 4️⃣ key elements to ensure the success of the regional health TEIs: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJTu5YA2 📍 Team Europe will need to ensure that its health priorities are in line with those of African partners. What we found is that there was little evidence so far suggesting partners were meaningfully engaged in the design of the #TEIs. 📍 Team Europe must be able to allocate sufficient financial resources to deliver on its commitments, in a coordinated and effective way. More consistency and complementarity are needed between different instruments & policies in pursuit of health objectives. 📍 Team Europe must communicate and share timely information about the initiatives and their impact, to demonstrate the added value of this approach. Vague commitments lead to challenges in tracking and holding individual team members accountable. 📍 Team Europe must be able to keep global health high on its agenda, with #equity at its core. In particular, concrete actions are needed for the EU to demonstrate its commitment to partnership with Africa on health! If you've missed it, watch our event launch, organised last week with experts Antonio Perrelli from Wemos, Dr Farwa Sial from Eurodad - the European Network on Debt and Development and Fitsum Alemayehu from WACI Health ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eimasjyB Caroline Gennez Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024 Ministère des Affaires étrangères français Stéphane Séjourné Chrysoula Zacharopoulou Help us share: Emily Wigens Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung (DSW) Médecins du Monde Oxfam EU office AMREF ACTION Global Health Advocacy Partnership ACTION CONTRE LA FAIM Save the Children Europe Global Citizen Aidsfonds Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion Global Fund Advocates Network Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) African Union Africa CDC Health Health Promotion Tanzania HDT African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) CONCORD Africa-Europe Foundation Impact Santé Afrique EANNASO ECDPM 🔎 🌍 Elcano Royal Institute AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa Health Justice Initiative - HJI SEATINI UGANDA ASAPSU

It's been a while LinkedIn Family but I am back!! October 2024 Day 1 of the Public Health Symposium 2nd Edition. This year's theme is titled "Reimagining Our Public Health" This year's symposium tackles crucial issues, including Promoting Positive Mental Health in the Workplace, which is essential for fostering a healthy and productive work. Other critical topics on the agenda include Financing Models for Public Health Infrastructure Development, Strategies to Enhance Accountability in Health Sector Resources, and Emerging Public Health Threats, Climate Change, and WASH. These discussions will undoubtedly shed light on innovative solutions to Zimbabwe's healthcare challenges. The guest of honor, The Honorable Minister of Health and Child Care, Hon. Dr D. Mombeshora, also emphasized on the importance of reimagining our public health and the role we play in bringing about the change we want to see in our public health system in Zimbabwe. We have much to do as a nation to achieve accessible, sustainable and equitable healthcare for our country. By reimagining public health, we can create a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient healthcare system. The symposium provides a valuable platform for experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices. I'm looking forward to the outcomes and the positive impact they'll have on Zimbabwe's public health landscape. Harare Institute of Public Health SRHR Africa Trust #ReimaginingOurPublicHealth #SRHR

In Sudan, violence and conflict have displaced a substantial proportion of women and children, resulting in family separation and migration. Children, particularly, face high rates of family separation due to armed attacks and military conscription. Migration has significant public health implications for women and children, including malnutrition, disease outbreaks, mental health issues, and gender-based violence. This article outlines strategies to address the adverse impacts of war on Sudan's vulnerable population. Read our article: Effects of migration on Sudanese women and children: a public health concern https://lnkd.in/dnDwSFSB Published in: Medicine, Conflict and Survival World Health Organization Africa CDC Africa CDC-Institute for Workforce Development Africa CDC Africa CDC African Union United Nations IOM - UN Migration IOM Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Eastern Africa MSF UAE - أطباء بلا حدود الإمارات CARE International in Sudan #publichealth #women #children #migration #sudan #sudancrisis #conflict #war

Am happy to share my publications 1. Karuga R, Kok M, Mbindyo P, et al. How context influences the functionality of community-level health governance structures: a case study of community health committees in Kenya. Int J Health Plann Mgmt. 2023; 1-XXX. https://lnkd.in/d-H6gUn7. 2.Community participation in the health system: analyzing the implementation of community health committee policies in Kenya | Primary Health Care Research & Development | Cambridge Core - https://bit.ly/45LdWnL

REFLECTING BACK ON YPC 2023. The Africa CDC’s Youth Pre-Conference precedes the Annual Int’l Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA). In the year 2023, we were privileged to join fellow African youth from all AU member states from diverse sectors of society and backgrounds to discuss the future of Public Health for the continent. The recent previous YPC held under the margins of the 3rd Annual Int’l Conference on Public Health (CPHIA) with the theme; “Youth Leadership for a Safer and Healthier Africa” realizing the integral role young people continues to play in Advancing the Health security of our Continent. YPC remains the most influential platform for African youth to create meaningful Health synergies, advancing Innovation and Digital Transformation as key in achieving the Africa CDC’s Agenda 2063, and fortifying sustainable futures through universal health coverage and Continental Public Health security. #Youthleadershipinhealth